The Best Day

Hand-drawn illustration of Phillips founder Duncan Phillips, in profle, by local illustrator and Phillips staff member Elizabeth Graeber.

An illustration of Duncan Phillips, founder of D.C.'s "Best Museum", by D.C.'s "Best Local Illustrator" Elizabeth Graeber.

Today Washington City Paper released the results of its 2012 “Best of D.C.” readers’ poll. We were very excited, proud, and grateful to see The Phillips Collection in first place for both Best Museum and Best Art Gallery for a third consecutive year. While we don’t fit perfectly into the “art gallery” category (an understandable mistake, as even our original name confuses the issue), we so appreciate all of you for showing the love.

Degas’s Dancers at the Barre was a runner up in the Best Exhibit category, behind the Corcoran‘s important 30 Americans show (which included work by William Pope.L who we’re excited to spend time with next week at the final Conversations with Artists program of the season).

Last but by no means least, we would like to take this opportunity to publicly high five the talented Elizabeth Graeber–last seen behind the counter in the Phillips museum shop or admissions desk–on earning City Paper‘s staff pick for Best Local Illustrator. Her work for this blog has infused it with creative energy and a hand-made aesthetic that’s right on point for a blog about the creative processes of staff at America’s first museum of modern art.


 

 

Phillips after 5: Experiment!

Visitors experimenting with in-gallery sketching with the help of Elizabeth Graeber's illustrated guide book. Photos: Brooke Rosenblatt

Experimental magician David London performs on stage and in the galleries. Photos: Brooke Rosenblatt

Read Elizabeth Graeber and David London’s thoughts on experimenting at The Phillips Collection.

This Thursday: Sartorial Experimentation Encouraged!

Personally, I’m pretty excited about tomorrow night’s Experiment Station-themed Phillips after 5. This theme is drawn from the writings of museum founder Duncan Phillips in which he envisioned his museum as an experiment station, and we have dedicated the entire evening (as we have this blog) to the concept. Not only will the event include magic by area illusionist David London, but we’re debuting artist (and blog illustrator) Elizabeth Graeber’s illustrated self-guide to the collection. I’d also like to encourage some experimental fashion, such as the inventive D.I.Y. drink ticket necktie that Phillips Installations Manager Bill Koberg sported at last month’s Phillips after 5 with The Washington Ballet. See you tomorrow night! Amanda Jiron-Murphy, In-Gallery Interpretation and Public Programs Coordinator